Ireland VS your club team-what matters more

shadowcomplex

As an Irish person im very happy that we are on the brink of qualifying for another major tournament however as happy as I am about this I care more about how Manutd will do this season and beyond, should I be ashamed of this, is there many other posters that think like ?

IRISHSPORTSGUY

Unless it's an Irish club they support I can't understand why people would care more. I think a lot of Irish people do care more about English clubs though, so I'll end by saying each to their own.

Hammer Archer

Personally yes i think you should be a little ashamed, especially if you're favouring a foreign club team over the Irish national team.
I'm a West Ham fan but the Irish team always comes first for me.

Paul Tergat

club >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> country for me

stovelid

I like Ireland doing well and was a regular at games for 20+ years until a few years ago but give me a choice between Shamrock Rovers winning even a league cup or Ireland winning the World Cup and Rovers would come first every time.

Not wanting to start a Irish/English club team row, but one of the more bizarre aspects of admitting what I did is getting lectures from people who support foreign club teams on loyalty to the Irish team. Not only because I support an Irish club but I also put in my time at Ireland games.

tommyhaas

IRISHSPORTSGUY wrote: »

Unless it's an Irish club they support I can't understand why people would care more. I think a lot of Irish people do care more about English clubs though, so I'll end by saying each to their own.

A big reason IMO is because club football is on every week, international football is only on a couple of times a year, hence people are more consumed by club football and ergo care more about it. If the roles were reversed, the majority, if not all would care more about international football

jesus_thats_gre

It's weird, I feel like a complete twat admitting it but it tends to alternate between Ireland and Liverpool quite a bit.

I have thought about why it happens quite a bit and the conclusion that I keep coming back to is how involved/connected I feel.

When Rafa was at Liverpool, I was obsessed with Liverpool. I wasn't happy with the appointment of Roy from the get go and my obsession quickly normalised again. It's been slowly growing since Kenny was re-appointed again but I still not fully convinced due to some of the selection decisions he is making.

Something similar happened with Ireland. I was very happy with Mick, not really with Kerr, distraught with Staunton and then happy with the appointment of Trap. I am still happy enough with Trap but some of his decisions frustrate the living life out of me with some of his selection decisions - nevermind their inability to capitalise on going ahead.

I have no doubt that some here will argue that there is a glory hunting element about that above but it isn't about that. It boils down to how much I believe in what the manager is doing - irrespective how good the team is doing.

stovelid

IRISHSPORTSGUY wrote: »

Unless it's an Irish club they support I can't understand why people would care more. I think a lot of Irish people do care more about English clubs though, so I'll end by saying each to their own.

Speaking for LOI: a lot of people are closely involved with their clubs: not only are many volunteers but they follow the club all over the country and even Europe. And the smaller scale of support means you know far more people and often even some of the players and boards. Add the fact that the club is often from your own locale and it's often a no-brainer that you would be closer to the club than the national team.

craggles

Rovers win a league, only rovers fans are happy. That's what, a few % of the country that gets a lift from it.

Ireland make it deep in a major tournament and the whole country is buzzing. Italia 90 happens.

Clearly Ireland winning a World Cup or even just making it far in one is so much more important than what any club does anywhere, since it lifts almost everyone on the island. In the long run that's what's good for us and the country in general, not what happens with one club.

Anyone who says they'd prefer Liverpool or United (essentially businesses) winning a trophy over Ireland winning a World Cup needs their head examined.

Paul Tergat

craggles wrote: »

Clearly Ireland winning a World Cup or even just making it far in one is so much more important than what any club does anywhere, since it lifts almost everyone on the island. In the long run that's what's good for us and the country in general, not what happens with one club.

Anyone who says they'd prefer Liverpool or United (essentially businesses) winning a trophy over Ireland winning a World Cup needs their head examined.

Total rubbish. To you maybe but you are not speaking on the behalf of everyone.

roryc

craggles wrote: »

Anyone who says they'd prefer Liverpool or United (essentially businesses) winning a trophy over Ireland winning a World Cup needs their head examined.

This.

NufcNavan

shadowcomplex wrote: »

As an Irish person im very happy that we are on the brink of qualifying for another major tournament however as happy as I am about this I care more about how Manutd will do this season and beyond, should I be ashamed of this, is there many other posters that think like ?

<facepalm>

Unfortunately you're not on your own regarding your sentiments..

BERBA

Spurs>>>>>>>>Ireland , Thats an easy one.

Benimar

Country every time.

I can understand people putting Rovers, Bohs, Cork etc putting their club ahead of Ireland, as it's their local team and its part of the community, but I can't get my head around people putting a foreign club team ahead of their own national team. I've as avid a Liverpool fan as you can get, but Ireland comes 1st.

Just my opinion

CSF

Benimar wrote: »

Country every time.

I can understand people putting Rovers, Bohs, Cork etc putting their club ahead of Ireland, as it's their local team and its part of the community, but I can't get my head around people putting a foreign club team ahead of their own national team. I've as avid a Liverpool fan as you can get, but Ireland comes 1st.

Just my opinion

Yup Shels first for me, but I can't understand how anyone could put a foreign club first. I like foreign clubs too but they come miles behind Ireland.

dan1895

Shels to win a throw in a pre-season friendly > Ireland winning the World Cup

tommyhaas

dan1895 wrote: »

Shels to win a throw in a pre-season friendly > Ireland winning the World Cup

With the luck you's have been having with ref's, the world cup is probably the more likely of the two

stovelid

craggles wrote: »

Anyone who says they'd prefer Liverpool or United (essentially businesses) winning a trophy over Ireland winning a World Cup needs their head examined.

This is kinda what I'm talking about.

Why should anybody take lectures in patriotism from people that support (and put money into) foreign leagues?

Jayob10

tommyhaas wrote: »

A big reason IMO is because club football is on every week, international football is only on a couple of times a year, hence people are more consumed by club football and ergo care more about it. If the roles were reversed, the majority, if not all would care more about international football

If roles were reversed no doubt you would find a few gobsh*tes who were passionate Spain fans for a few years. Whoever the next big thing were, you would find Irish sports fans laying claim to being avid followers.

Cypher_sounds

I'm as much a fan as Ireland as i am of United, so i'd say i have the same passion for both soccer teams that i choose to support, they both matter to me as much as each other.

niallo27

stovelid wrote: »

This is kinda what I'm talking about.

Why should anybody take lectures in patriotism from people that support (and put money into) foreign leagues?

Who is giving anyone lectures on anything.

Noo

They are two very different things and its not possible to compare supporting a club to supporting a country. You watch your club week in week out so of course its going to appear that someone supports their club more. I support arsenal and try to get to games with plenty to choose from, i support Ireland but because my opportunity to see them is less frequent and i don't have to travel does that make me more of an arsenal fan than an Ireland one.

When arsenal play they are the only team that matters to me. When Ireland play they are the only team that matters to me. Luckily there'll never be a time when i have to choose which to watch so why should my loyalties to either be questioned.

eyescreamcone

The best summers are when Ireland qualify for tournaments.
The place goes mental
Everybody is a winner

I was in Istanbul when Liverpool won in 2005.
That was fantastic, but Ireland doing well is more important to me.
I can go with all my friends who support different clubs, but we're all together for the Ireland games!!!

C'mon Ireland.

Warper

To support a foreign club over your own country is just plain sad. You must have no sense of loyalty or respect to your own family.

flahavaj

Its only natural for people to feel more attached to their club - even English ones. Its a week in week out interest with games twice a week,whereas folowing the national side is part time at best. You also find yourself defending your club more due to natural club rivalries, whereas pretty much everyone in the ciuntry will be on the side of the national team.

stovelid

niallo27 wrote: »

Who is giving anyone lectures on anything.

Just think of a similar debate where saying you supported Liverpool over United was met with assertions that you needed your head examined.

The same thing crops up the time in the Ireland vs club debate.

Like people that pick their club over country actually need the approval of a load of blow-in flag waving daytrippers (as in the fervour that erupts around the national team at times like this) to make a decision about their football they support.

Oat23

Sligo Rovers > Ireland > Hamburg

Never been mad on International football, but I would be a terrible person if I picked Hamburg or any foreign club team over Ireland.

G.K.

Leeds because, being Welsh, I have no Irish affiliation.

Paully D

I love Ireland but I'll be honest and say that I'd pick Sunderland over Ireland, every day of the week.

I don't think there's any shame in that to be honest, and you can be sure I was as delighted as the next man when Ireland win.

However, club comes first.

IRISHSPORTSGUY

G.K. wrote: »

Leeds because, being Welsh, I have no Irish affiliation.

Aye, but Wales or Leeds? Who would you rather see achieve?

That_Guy

Newcastle >>> Ireland

CiaranC

Surely when the relationship between you and "your" football club exists nowhere except inside your own head, you can imagine any "level" of support you like. With barstoolers, all bets are off, none of the traditional mores of football support apply to them.

Paul Tergat

Didn't take long for the usual bs from the same old people to come out.

flahavaj

CiaranC wrote: »

Surely when the relationship between you and "your" football club exists nowhere except inside your own head, you can imagine any "level" of support you like. With barstoolers, all bets are off, none of the traditional mores of football support apply to them.

G.K.

IRISHSPORTSGUY wrote: »

Aye, but Wales or Leeds? Who would you rather see achieve?

Wales, but it's incredibly close

CSF

Paul Tergat wrote: »

Didn't take long for the usual bs from the same old people to come out.

Yeah I know I was wondering when you and flahavaj were gonna start.

born2bwild

Ireland winning is great but I'm looking forward to Shels' first pre-season friendly more than the Euros next summer.

DOC09UNAM

Club before county for me.

overshoot

used to be a big man u fan but the more foreign owners and especially after the glaziers iv just become sick of the premiership. its a business before a sport now

if i had to chose between finn harps surviving this year and ireland losing the return leg 5-0, id pick harps. Ireland winning Euro 12 or harps winning something... tougher call... probably harps as there is too much about the fai i dont like

Blatter

Club before country and it's not even particularly close.

But it's totally up to the individual, and I laugh at anyone who tries to cast judgement over somebody's choice, either way.

born2bwild

Blatter wrote: »

Club before country and it's not even particularly close.

But it's totally up to the individual, and I laugh at anyone who tries to cast judgement over somebody's choice, either way.

A non judgmental laugh, though, yeah?

CSF

Blatter wrote: »

Club before country and it's not even particularly close.

But it's totally up to the individual, and I laugh at anyone who tries to cast judgement over somebody's choice, either way.

And I laugh at someone who laughs, casting judgement on somebody's choice, either way.

CSF

born2bwild wrote: »

A non judgmental laugh, though, yeah?

Great minds... haha!!

born2bwild

CSF wrote: »

And I laugh at someone who laughs, casting judgement on somebody's choice, either way.

What about crying?

stovelid

flahavaj wrote: »

I think the heresy of GAA criticism elsewhere on the forum has made you all hot to trot.

As ever.

born2bwild

CSF wrote: »

Great minds... haha!!

Go to Tolka park.

CSF

born2bwild wrote: »

Go to Tolka park.

Now?

born2bwild

CSF wrote: »

Now?

No, wait for March.

Blatter

born2bwild wrote: »

A non judgmental laugh, though, yeah?

CSF wrote: »

And I laugh at someone who laughs, casting judgement on somebody's choice, either way.

What's with the chip on the shoulder lads? Why not live and let live? Why have a problem with people deciding on their sporting affiliations and what order they chose to have them in?

Xavi6

I get up at 3am to watch City in the Champions League. I didn't get up at that hour for Ireland last night.

stovelid

Somebody should do a mini thesis on the statistical probability of flahavaj and one or more of his chums turning up in any thread with even a whiff of LOI in it directly after the GAA is criticized somewhere else on the forum.

A rich vein of data would no doubt be mined. :pac: